Game one in Manteca on Saturday and we took on the Valley Rays. Game time was 11:15. Cloudy and about 60 degrees.
We loose the flip.
Little do the Rays know, we wanted to loose that flip. Seriously. We want to come out Bangin' first. Okay, it goes like this... An ideal first game for the Canes: We come out bangin' first, put up ridiculous, serious runs and demoralize the other team before they even get to hit... So we win no matter what. If we win the toss, we call for visiting team. We hit first. If we loose, the other team wants to be home team (like most should) and we hit first anyway. We win again. In order for this to really work in our favor, we must come out bangin'...
Top of the first, we are nervous. Jordan leads off and as I think of it, (you are in my head now) he has only played a hand full of games in tournaments where players can actually take leads. What did I do? Did I put him in an no-win situation? He's on a new team, playing a new game and I load up the pressure and force him to lead off the first game of our very first tournament. What was I thinking? Should I make a change before he takes a pitch? Too late. He's looking at me for a sign... I tell him to hit away. First pitch and Jordan looks like he has been doing this for years. He drives the ball up the middle. Base hit. Nice. I start to think... Why would I ever doubt Jordan?
Jordan steals second as CK now has a 1-1 count. Third pitch to CK and he pounds a double deep over the left and center fielder's heads. Two batters later, CK is on third when Vinnie drills the pitcher with the hardest line drive I have ever seen. CK scores. After some tears, the pitcher is found to be OK but needed to change his shorts. We lead 2-0. The other team has seen a glimpse of the storm to come and they are freaked. Our Coin toss theory proved well. So far...
Devin takes the hill and after two strike outs, we get out of the first with that 2-0 lead in tact. Second inning. Todd on first with a walk. Torin rakes the third pitch down the line for an RBI triple. Justin follows with a double to knock in Torin. Bottom 2 and we are up 4-0... We are now rollin. 90 miles per hour. Then... the wheels come off. A few walks, a couple of hits, a pitching change and couple more walks and a base hit given up by Torin, and we are down 5-4. We come to bat and go down 1-2-3. Uh-Oh. How are the boys going to react? Will they fold? Can they handle it? Jack takes over on the mound after one more run and we go into the 4th down 6-4. Gut check time.
I am now worried about the time. This game has taken a while and we need to wake up. Quick.
Right after I look at my watch, Devin comes up and wastes no time blasting a ball over the right fielder and to the fence. Home Run! Home Run! This boy hit the ball so far he he even had time to do a hip roll between 2nd and 3rd, get up and finish running home. 6-5 game. Back to back doubles by Vince and Daniel, a single by Jelani, then 2 more doubles by Jordan and CK. Just like that, we are back on top 10-6. Two more runs added in the 5th and Jack finishes the game on the hill with very little trouble... Hurricanes win 12-6.
On the hill Devin had 4 k's, 3 walks and gave up 2 hits. Torin gave up 3 walks and 2 hits. Jack had a strikeout, 1 walk and a hit.
At the plate, Jordan was 2 for 3 with a double and 2 runs scored.
CK was 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored.
HR: Devin
3B: Torin
2B: CK (2), Jordan, Vince, Daniel and Justin
RBI: Torin 3, CK 2
Next: The Outlaws. Did you know they have never lost? They are the top team in Nevada... Here we go.
